


Practice Makes Perfect

by innovatived



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: Birthday Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-07
Packaged: 2018-01-14 22:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1280740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innovatived/pseuds/innovatived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris goes out of his way every year to get Darren’s birthday dinner just right. And maybe another special occasion as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Practice Makes Perfect

**_A month before._ **

“Leaaaa. Please? It can’t be as bad as last year’s at least, right?” Chris pleads with her from his spot in front of the stove. He pulls out his dish from within and places it on the countertop next to it, waving his oven mitt hand over it a few times to cool it off. 

"Chris baby, you know I love you, and I love Darren, and it’s beyond sweet that you do this every year. But this year I can only offer my house to your romantic dinner practice." She places her cup of coffee on the breakfast bar across from the stove and sits down to face towards him . "After last year’s fiasco, my taste testing service are off the table. I don’t think I’m ever recovering from that." 

He turns to around to give her a pout, eyes wide and bottom lip stuck out. Lea rolls her eyes at him and takes a sip of her drink.

"Don’t think that’s going to get you anywhere. We’ve been friends for too many years now."

Chris turns back around and removes the over mitt from his hand, placing it on the countertop. “But it wasn’t that bad in the end!”

“Mhmm. In the end. Exactly. This is only your second time over here trying the recipe this year and I know you don’t practice at you house. You usually come over at least four or five times before it’s good enough.” Lea replies with a hint of judgment. Chris picks up the spoon to stir at the sauce in the pot. He takes a small taste, and his face puckers. Placing the spoon back on the counter, he turns the knob off for the sauce.

"Good decision not to taste test. The sauce is god awful." Chris sighs as he takes assessment over the scene on the counter. The pot with the grotesque sauce in it is now useless, so he grabs it puts it in the sink. Grabbing a dish rag, he begins to rinse out the sauce. 

"What about the chicken?" She walks around the bar to stand beside him, grabbing a fork out of the drawer on the way over. Chris puts the pot down and takes the fork, stabbing a small piece off the chicken and popping it in his mouth. He chews it for a few moments, and then swallows.

"Not too bad, actually." Chris grins over at her, offering the fork for her to try. She raises her eyebrow at him.

"No way Colfer. Just be glad there’s still a month for you to get the sauce right and perfect the chicken. And that I’m still letting you use my house.” 

Chris places the fork back down and picks up the dish rag. He continues rinsing out the awful sauce from the pot. “Fine. I’m glad you’re letting me use your house again to practice my god awful culinary skills to make my boyfriend dinner for his birthday. Happy?” 

She reaches up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Chris gives her a confused glance, and she winks back at him. “I’m just building up for all the favors you’ll owe me eventually.”

-

**_Darren’s birthday._ **

"Dude! It’s time for birthday drinks!" Chord cheers as they step in his trailer.

"No can do, I’m having a night in with the boyfriend. We do it every year. Tradition, ya know?" Darren starts grabbing his things to leave. He picks up his jacket and puts it on, checking the pockets for his keys.

Chord huffs at him. “…but can’t you jus-”

"Do you really want to face Chris’ wrath if I change our plans because of you?" He raises his eyebrow towards him. His co-star’s excitement deflates instantly, Chris’ anger is a force to be reckoned with. “Plus he’s already at home, and I’m sure everything is ready.” He hums happily to himself as he finally locates his keys and pulls them out of the pocket.

"Whatever dude. Go be domestic and shit." Chord dismisses him with a wave of his hand, but grins. "Happy birthday man." 

He waves back as he steps out his trailer door. “Thanks! I will!”

-

He arrives home to the scent of food wafting through the house and Brian laying across the end table in the living room. He lifts his head and blinks, watching as Darren removes his coat and shoes, before laying his head back down to sleep.

Darren wanders into the dining room to see Chris setting down the last plate. He walks over and winds his arm around Chris’ waist, kissing him softly on the cheek. “Hey sweetie. Whatever you made smells delicious.” 

Chris grins widely at him. “Thanks. I hope it tastes delicious, too.”

Darren buries his nose into the crook of Chris’ neck. He inhales in the scent of his boyfriend, his natural scent covered with the smell of the ingredients he used to cook with. “I’m sure it’s great. You haven’t made me a birthday dinner yet that has tasted less than phenomenal.” 

Chris makes a humming noise in agreement. “Sit down then, I’m going to go fetch our drinks.” Chris untangles himself from Darren to stride into the kitchen. He grabs the bottle of wine and two wine glasses off the counter before he returns to the dining room. Seeing Darren has taken his advice, he moves into his seat across from him. Chris pours wine into both of the glasses and passes one over to Darren. 

"Toast?" Darren raises his glass towards him. Chris blinks back at him, causing Darren to let out a deep chuckle. "To another birthday with my amazing, wonderful boyfriend."

"Hm, I suppose I can toast to that." Chris smiles widely at him.

Dinner is amazing. They fill it with general conversations about their days, and about how Darren’s birthday has been. He tells Chris about all the gifts their other co-stars got him. About what was in the box that came yesterday with a return address from Chicago. Throughout it, Chris’ body thrums with his overwhelming love for the man sitting across from him. The way his face lights up when he talks about the presents people got him.

They eventually make their way into the living room after supper, curling up on the couch together. Darren laying across Chris, his head gently resting on the younger man’s chest. There’s a Disney moving playing in the background, but neither of them know what it is. Chris leans over to grab a card off the coffee table and hands it to Darren. “Happy Birthday,” he murmurs into his ear.

Darren gently tears into the envelope and takes out the card. He can feel the way Chris is watching him as reads it, watching the way his eyes start welling up with tears. “Dare?” Chris is voice is shaky and worried. He knows Darren will like what he got him, positive actually. Even if it’s not something tangible, but closer to that overly large heart of his.

Darren hiccups back a laugh. “Chris I. I don’t know what to say. This. This means everything to me. You mean everything to me.” His voice is laced with amazement and adoration.

"Well, I very well couldn’t let your fans out do me, could I?"

"So you donated enough to get a floor worth of Musicians on Call rooms in my name? And donated double the amount I raised with my postcards to the Philippines relief in my name? Chris." His voice cracks. "This is amazing. You’re amazing."

Chris hums. “Well, I’m glad I knew you were going to like your gift. Unlike the recipe for your birthday dinner that I’ve been pouring over for weeks and Lea just wouldn’t taste test and I- oh.” Chris stops as he realizes his rambling has gotten the better of him. The blush floods his cheeks as the words start to sink in for Darren.

"Wait, what do you mean pouring over a recipe for my birthday dinner?" 

"Oh it’s nothing, I just need to practice that’s all." Chris tries to dismiss the idea entirely, but it’s too late.

"How many times, Chris?" Darren whispers incredulously. 

The younger man bites his bottom lip in thought. “Uhm, maybe just, four or five times?”

"Just four or five times? Are you-. Wait, you go to Lea’s to practice making my birthday dinner four or five times. You-, you do this every year don’t you? I should have known because, no offense babe, but you really are a terrible cook except for the meals you make on my birthday.”

"Yes exactly. I know my cooking skill is less than superior so I got Lea to let me practice at her house and she used to taste test them but last year I - _mmprh_ " Chris gets interrupted by Darren’s lips softly covering his own. The kiss is gentle and loving, a familiar dance neither of them could ever tire of. When they pull apart, Darren’s eyes are shining in admiration.

"I love you Christopher Paul Colfer. So much.”

"I love you too, Darren Everett Criss.”

-

_**Two and a half years later.** _

"So."

"So?"

"You made me dinner. The kind you go out and practice at Lea’s house for weeks. The ones that are exclusively reserved for my birthday. But it’s not anywhere close to my birthday. So what’s the deal?" 

Chris ducks his head as the blush fills his cheeks from being called out. “Fine, you got me.” He inhales deeply before stepping up to stand in directly in front of Darren. The older man turns in his seat so he’s facing him as well.

"Darren Everett Criss, you are the love of my life. My better half. The only person who understands me better than I do. And although I’m usually pretty good with words, there aren’t enough to explain what you mean to me. The closest I can get is I love you, and I would be honored if you would spend the rest of your life with me.” He shakily lowers himself down on one knee in front of Darren. Taking a small black box out of his pocket, he lifts it up, opening it slowly. The other man is already crying before the ring is revealed to him. “Darren Everett Criss, will you marry me?”

"Yes. Yes, of course I will."


End file.
